Five features wasn’t enough. Lionsgate said today that it is partnering with author Stephenie Meyer, Facebook, Women in Film and Tongal to launch a social media campaign to develop and produce short films by female filmmakers based on the characters in The Twilight Saga. The venture, called The Storytellers – New Creative Voices of The Twilight Saga, will include films based on a broad spectrum of characters from the Twilight universe, with guidance provided by Meyer’s encyclopedic The Twilight Saga: Official Illustrated Guide. Entries will be judged by Meyer, Kristen Stewart, Kate Winslet, Octavia Spencer, Jennifer Lee, Catherine Hardwicke, Julie Bowen and Women In Film President Cathy Schulman.

The five winning shorts will be financed through production advances, and fans will help select a grand prize-winning filmmaker who will receive a cash prize and career opportunities. “The female voice is something that has become more and more important to me as I’ve worked in the film industry,” said Meyer. “I’m honored to be working with Women In Film, Lionsgate, and Facebook on a project dedicated to giving more women a chance to be heard creatively.”

8 Comments

Every filmmaker involved in this project should be paid. Shame on Lionsgate for exploiting women by tying them into one of their franchise with no guarantee of compensation

• on Oct 1, 2014 12:29 am

it sounds like a chance not exploitation, don’t get involved if you just want to get paid

maxwellhowser • on Oct 1, 2014 7:20 am

The good news for these filmakers is that Taylor Lautner will be available for these projects.

Feather • on Oct 3, 2014 2:27 pm

No need to insult ,cutie Taylor Lautner. He is doing just fine. The new Twilight project sounds interesting.

IRON WILL • on Oct 1, 2014 8:01 am

How sexist!

As a male fan of ‘Twilight’, I would love to explore the characters further by taking part in a fan-film contest.

But no, they HAVE TO exclude men from the get-go…

Lee • on Oct 1, 2014 11:41 am

If this single short-film competition is one of the rare moments that you feel you are experiencing “sexism” in your life, try making a living as a female filmmaker (or any other male-dominated field).

This is little more than Lionsgate trying to keep the Twilight IP alive for the sake of keeping the 12-19 female, and the mothers said 12-19 female, target demographics in the fold post-Mockingjay. Lionsgate has also recently become a takeover target again.

Hiding behind this crowd-sourcing stunt as a means of female empowerment is only going to attract the Social Justice Warrior (TM) crowd, and just look at what those sociopolitical shock-troops bring to the table with the ongoing Gamergate controversy. Good luck trying to appeal to folks with IP source material most would consider incredibly sexist, misogynist, etc., and a principal author’s beliefs most would find incompatible with, and offensive to, their worldviews.

Tony • on Oct 1, 2014 10:54 pm

I love that people who dislike progressivism, diversity, and attempts to make society better throw around the terms phrase ‘Social Justice Warrior’ as an insult.
That’s a badge I wear with pride.